Zucchini lasagna
All the saucy, cheesy layers of a classic lasagna with roasted zucchini standing in for noodles, and it holds together when you slice it.
- 100 min total
- 40 min hands-on
- A little more hands-on
- Serves 6
- About $2.49 a serving
- 410 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 6 servings.
- 4 zucchini, large, about 3 lb
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup grated parmesan, divided
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
- 1 jar marinara sauce
- 6 sprigs fresh basil, leaves torn (optional)
From your pantry
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1½ tsp salt, divided
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 410 calories, 25 g protein, 19 g carbs and 26 g fat, and costs about $2.49 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No zucchini? Yellow squash works.
- No ricotta cheese? Cottage cheese works.
- No grated parmesan? Parmesan wedge works.
- No shredded mozzarella? Provolone slices work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the oven to 425°F. the zucchini and cut them into planks about ¼ inch thick.
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
Trim. Trimming means cutting off the parts you don’t eat, like stem ends, tough bits or thick fat. It keeps chewy or bitter bits out of the finished dish.
How you’ll know: What’s left is the good part, with no dry ends, woody stems or thick white fat.
Lengthwise. Lengthwise means cutting along the long side, from stem to tip, which gives long pieces. Crosswise is the other way, straight across the middle, which gives short, round ones.
How you’ll know: Lengthwise halves of a zucchini look like two little canoes; crosswise pieces look like coins.
Dolly’s tip: Cut a thin strip off one side first so the zucchini lies flat and can’t roll under your knife.Lay the planks on two baking sheets, brush with the oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. until and beaded with water, 10 to 12 minutes, then blot them dry with paper towels.
Bake. Baking means cooking in the oven with dry heat all around the food. It cooks evenly from every side, so you can mostly leave it alone.
How you’ll know: It’s golden on top and passes the recipe’s check, like a clean toothpick or the right temperature.
Softened. For vegetables it means cooked until they bend and lose their crunch; for butter, left out until it dents easily. Soft onions taste sweet, and soft butter mixes in smoothly.
How you’ll know: Onions squash easily against the pan with your spoon, and butter dents under a finger without looking greasy.
Timer: 11 min
Dolly’s tip: This drives out water. Skip it and the lasagna turns soupy.Turn the oven down to 375°F. In a bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, ½ cup parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, pepper and ½ teaspoon salt.
Spread 1 cup marinara over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover with a layer of zucchini, slightly overlapping, then half the ricotta mixture and 1 cup marinara.
Repeat with zucchini, the rest of the ricotta and 1 cup marinara. Finish with the last of the zucchini and sauce, then the remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
uncovered until bubbling at the edges and on top, 40 to 45 minutes.
Bake. Baking means cooking in the oven with dry heat all around the food. It cooks evenly from every side, so you can mostly leave it alone.
How you’ll know: It’s golden on top and passes the recipe’s check, like a clean toothpick or the right temperature.
Brown. Browning means cooking until the outside turns brown, which is where a lot of savory flavor comes from. Give food room and time without stirring, or it steams and stays gray.
How you’ll know: The food looks brown rather than gray, and the kitchen smells toasty and savory.
Timer: 42 min
Food safety: For the safest eggs, cook until the whites are fully set and the yolks begin to thicken. Dishes made with eggs are done at 160°F.
Let it for 15 minutes before cutting, then scatter basil over the top.
Rest. Resting means letting cooked meat sit for a few minutes before you cut it. It keeps cooking gently, and more of the juice stays in the meat instead of running onto the board.
How you’ll know: Loosely covered with foil, it stays hot, and very little juice runs out when you slice it.
Timer: 15 min
Dolly’s tip: Resting lets the juices settle back in, so the squares hold their shape.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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